· Michael Blair
Trees that come down in Middle Tennessee storms have usually been failing for years. Storms are the trigger rather than the cause, and most of the underlying weakness is visible from the ground.
Look at the base first
Mushrooms or conks growing at the base or on exposed roots indicate internal decay — the fungus fruiting is a symptom of what is already inside the wood.
Soil heaving or cracking on one side, or a visible gap where roots meet ground, means the root plate is moving. That is the most urgent sign there is.
Then the trunk and unions
Cavities, deep vertical cracks and areas of missing bark all reduce structural capacity. A trunk that has bulged or flattened on one side is often compensating for internal decay.
Co-dominant stems — two trunks of similar size meeting in a tight V with bark trapped in the union — are a classic failure point in storms.
- Fungal conks at the base or on roots
- Heaving or cracked soil on one side
- Deep vertical trunk cracks or cavities
- Tight V-shaped unions with included bark
- Large dead limbs in the canopy
- A lean that has changed recently
The canopy tells you about health
Progressive dieback from the top down, leaves smaller or sparser than neighbouring trees of the same species, and out-of-season colour all indicate stress.
A tree with a thin canopy is not necessarily dangerous, but it is a tree worth watching, particularly if it sits within falling distance of the house.
Leaning trees
A long-standing lean with normal soil around the base is usually fine — trees grow to compensate. A new or increasing lean is entirely different.
Photograph leaning trees against a fixed reference so you can tell later whether anything has changed. Impressions are unreliable across seasons.